The Zambia Energy Compact, developed under the World Bank’s Mission 300 programme, was signed in January 2025. The compact commits Zambia to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, while increasing the share of non‑hydropower renewables from about 3% to 33% to improve climate resilience and supply security. It outlines policy and regulatory reforms to strengthen utilities, mobilise large‑scale private investment, and rapidly scale grid, mini‑grid, off‑grid, and clean‑cooking solutions – positioning energy as a driver of industrialisation and inclusive growth in line with Mission 300’s goal to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
In this policy brief, the GRC’s Zambia partner organisation, argues that achieving Zambia’s Energy Compact goal of universal, clean energy access by 2030 depends on mobilising large‑scale private sector investment. It identifies regulatory uncertainty, financing constraints, and weak project pipelines as key barriers, and recommends targeted reforms, risk‑mitigation instruments, and stronger public-private coordination to unlock private capital and accelerate the energy transition.